Display of wearing apparel



Aug. 20, 1929. F. c. WHITLAM DISPLAY or" WEARING APPAREL Filed May 19. 1928 Mi/vrok. ma/izm X MMM,

A/brneK Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK CHARLES WHITLAM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO S. ROSEN BERGER COATES & COMPANY LIMITED, 01 LONDON, ENGLAND, A COMPANY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

DISPLAY OF WEARING APPAREL.

Application filed May 19, 1928, Serial No. 279,163, and in Great Britain February 28, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in the display of wearing apparel in stores, shop windows and like places. Certain articles of wearing apparel, particularly 5 neckties, could be displayed to better advantage if they were capable of retaining any curved form into which they may be bent. It is the object of this invention to lend temporarily such plasticity to an article of wearing apparel. For this purpose there is inserted into the article to be displayed, for instance a necktie, a strip or plate, preferably of the shape of the article, made of a material or a combination of materials, which is pliable and capable of retaining the form into which it is bent.

Mostsoft metals have the desired property of pliability and a strip or plate of soft metal may be conveniently employed for my purpose combined with a suitable fabric or other covering. A strip of copper or other soft metal may be used as a stiffener within a covering of suitable material such as a stiff fabric, cardboard or stiff paper,-shaped 25 substantially to the form of the article to be displayed.

Neckties being generally flattened tubes open at least at one end, such a display device in the form of a tapering strip can read- :m ily be inserted into the tie, which then, as displayed, consists of a combination of the tie lnaterial'and the strip bent into any curve which may be desired.

It is not generally the whole tie that is displayed and the strip may have such length as corresponds with the portion of the tie that is to be displayed.

It is common practice to stretch apparel in the form of a hose over a wire frame comprisin two or more wires which are spread apart by a spring action and upon which the fabric is held in tension. A wire frame, however, does not meet the requirements of the presentinvention which is designed to stiffen the fabric on its longitudinal centre only, thereby permitting the edges of the fabric to assume natural and pliable fold while its general contour is directed by the stiffening member.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings applied as a display device for neckties, in which- Figure 1 shows a tapering display strip with a portion of the covering. fabric at the wide end of the strip removed.

Figure 2 shows a transverse section on the line AB of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 shows the display strip in use.

In Figures 1 and 2 a display device for neckties is illustrated in which a stiffener in the formof a strip 1 of soft metal is used within a covering 2 which is conveniently formed of a stiff fabric such as canvas or paper shaped substantially to the form of the necktie to be displayed. The strip 1 is centrally located on the longitudinal centre line of the necktie 2. The fiat strip tends to hold the body of the tie flat in a transverse direction while it may be bent to any contour desired. It takes up comparatively little space and does not form a protrusion on the surface of the article displayed.

The tapering strip is shown in Figure 3 in various positions for use within end of the necktie.

It must be understood that my invention is not limit-ed for use with neckties, but it may be suitable for use in a great variety of forms for displaying many forms of wearing apparel.

lVhat I claim is 1. A displaying device for simulating neckties comprising a single stiffening member in the form of a soft metal strip which is pliable and capable of retaining the form into which it is bent and a covering material simulating the necktie to be displayed, said stiffening member being located on the longitudinal centre line of and within said covering material.

2. A pliable device for displaying wearing apparel comprising a single stiffening member in the form of a soft metal strip which is pliable and capable of retaining the shape into which it is bent and a covering of stiff fabric shaped substantially to the form of the article to be displayed, said stiffening member being arranged on the longitudinal centre line of and within said covering fabric.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK CHARLES WHITLAM.

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